


With or without you

by ElletheBell



Category: The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Fights, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, Sick Character, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28064502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElletheBell/pseuds/ElletheBell
Summary: Jeremy gets angry at Richard during a difficult work day. Can they make amends or is their friendship over?
Relationships: Jeremy Clarkson/Richard Hammond
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	With or without you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DramaticNia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticNia/gifts).



> Major thanks to DramaticNia for the Idea, hopefully I could do it justice.

The week had started off difficult enough. 

Jeremy had been sick with a cold the previous weekend and had only just recovered. 

Really he felt like it was a bad flu, but he had worked himself to the bone throughout the week and spent the remainder of the weekend dead in bed. 

He felt weak and tired and mostly pissed off that he had ruined what was supposed to be a beautiful holiday at the coast with some old friends. (Of which, they went and he stayed home ill.)

So now here he was entering work knowing full well he had a deadline to meet for next season and he was already greatly behind in paperwork.

What he wanted was for the day to be hassle free and without any sort of interruption. 

Unfortunately that's not what he got.

The office was a scramble. Several employees went by with paperwork, one seemingly busy on his cellular. 

Andy sat at Jeremy's desk, he had clearly been waiting for the presenter to show. 

"Showing up late now are we?" Andy remarked. 

"Not today Willman. I've had a shit weekend." Jeremy sighed. 

"And it's about to get worse. We need the lineup up for next week this afternoon, I know it's early but our celebrity guest may have to change." He rubbed his temple already looking tired. "And you can take a guess as to who is late again."

Jeremy looked around before it dawned on him that the office was missing none other than Richard Hammond. 

He had been late last Friday as well and it had been evident that he hadn't done much work.

"When that little bastard gets in he's gonna hear it from me." Jeremy stated. He could feel a headache already forming. 

Hammond had a way of getting under his skin. Jeremy didn't know how he felt about it all. 

He liked the younger man. Really he did. He was cute to be sure and incredibly funny, but as smart as he could be about things he could also be incredibly naive. 

Richard always needed someone to hold his hand and tell him what to do. 

A part of Jeremy felt proud in the knowledge that it was always him that the younger man would go to when he needed help but recently he had been irritated by the constant questions and chatter from the brunette. 

Jeremy just had a lot on his plate at the moment and having to babysit would only add to the pressure. 

It was another half hour before Richard walked through the door, looking disorderly and a little tired. 

If Jeremy wanted to take a guess he would have bet the younger man had been sleeping in. 

"We have a lot that needs to be done today. Being late only means that you'll be staying later until it's all done." Jeremy scolded as he approached Hammond. 

Richard shrank under the reprimand. 

"I'm really sorry Jeremy, I wasn't watching the time it won't happen again." Richard mumbled as he undid his coat and sat at his desk. 

Jeremy wanted to press more but resisted the urge. He was always put off by the large brown eyes looking up at him. 

A part of him imagined what it would be like to have those eyes staring up at him as Richard kneeled in front of him seeking praise…

Jeremy shook the inappropriate thought from his mind and got back to work. 

Halfway through the day he had had enough. 

They were going over a segment that Richard had been in charge of doing. The only problem was he had a tendency to look at the cameras when he wasn't supposed to and he often slipped into his Birmingham accent making it so that they would have to redo takes. 

Several ideas had been shot down and alongside his headache Jeremy was left with just as much work as he started with. 

It had not been a productive day. 

He left the office for a smoke break outside. It was probably for the best that he stepped away for a bit. 

He turned to the side of the building and was startled to see Richard there as well. 

The younger man looked stressed as he took a drag from his cigarette. He watched as the smoke rose with the wind. He didn't see Clarkson approaching until the taller man was right behind him. 

"Christ Jeremy you really started me." Richard joked turning around. 

"You almost finished?" Jeremy asked bluntly.

He knew he was being an ass and taking his frustration off on the younger man but he couldn't bring himself to stop.

Maybe because he knew that Richard was an easy target. He could be fighty but ultimately Jeremy could get away with saying a lot before he retaliated.

Richard looked dumbly up at his coworker before an irritated look came over him. 

"God Clarkson, what's your problem? You've been an ass all day. You've been on my case since I got here." Hammond huffed. He stomped out his cigarette and Jeremy took that as an immediate challenge.

"I wouldn't have to be on your case if you took your job seriously. You were late last week and today and you walk around like you don't even realize the havoc you are constantly creating." Jeremy's voice rose.

Richard seemed taken aback.

"What the hell are you on about?" He raised his voice challenging the older man to keep on. 

"We have an actual show to keep up with and you walk around like an absolute child with your stupid pointless questions and that idiot accent. And you expect to be praised?" Jeremy was basically on top of Hammond who by now had such a look of hurt in his eyes. 

Jeremy was looking for a fight and he knew all the right buttons to press to get the smaller man to act.

Richard raised his fist and gave a swift punch to Jeremy's abdomen, Jeremy retaliated grabbing the smaller man and pushing him against the wall. 

"Why can't you just do your damn job without me having to babysit you." His hands shook as he lifted Hammond slightly and shoved him roughly against the brick. 

As suddenly as his anger flared up it subsided. 

Richard's chin quivered as short breaths escaped his lips. 

It took Jeremy a moment before he realized that Richard was crying. 

"Shit, Rich… stop." Jeremy quickly tried to apologize looking around to be certain they were alone. 

"I didn't realize I was too dumb to be any help." He remarked, twisting Jeremy's words against him. 

"I didn't mean that. I was just stressed about today is all." Jeremy tried to cover up. 

Richard looked up, face red with embarrassment and frustration, there were some tracks of tears over his soft face.

"You don't even understand." He hiccuped. "How hard it's been. I've been trying everything, and I've not felt well and now you…" he fell into tears once more. 

Jeremy stood there awkwardly, his hand was hovering just above the younger man's shoulder. 

A deep part of him wanted nothing more than to comfort him. 

"Look hamster I'm sorry I didn't mean,"

"But you did! You said it yourself you don't like me." Richard cried. Hot tears welling up in his large brown eyes.

He turned away and was gone before Jeremy could do anything. 

"Shit." Jeremy cursed as he kicked the wall. 

If he didn't feel terrible before he sure as hell did now. 

_________________________________________

"God you look terrible." James commented as Jeremy walked back into the office space. 

"I feel it as well. Have you seen Hammond anywhere? I need to talk with him." Jeremy hurried. 

James looked the other man over carefully. 

"No, I haven't for a while actually… you two have a fight?" He questioned. 

James wasn't usually one to get into other people's affairs, but every now and again he could get curious. 

"Look, just if you see him tell him I'm looking for him." Jeremy supplied.

James nodded and ducked back to his desk to hurriedly answer his phone. 

Jeremy grew increasingly bothered by the lack of the younger man's appearance as the day drew on. 

He had a difficult time but he was able to get what he needed done and it worked out that their celebrity guest would in fact be able to make it. 

In all the day ended less a shit time than he had anticipated. 

This only added to his guilt. 

He felt horrible for taking his frustration out on Hammond. It wasn't his fault that Jeremy had a horrible weekend, and it really wasn't his fault that there were challenges filming. 

Jeremy took out his cell and checked for any messages… none. 

He decided to finish for the day and go looking for the young presenter. 

________________

Jeremy felt like an idiot. After searching several of the local pubs and other popular areas it dawned on him that Richard likely went back home. 

He spent the drive out contemplating what he would say when he found him. 

Parking his car Jeremy noticed another and unfamiliar car parked outside of Richard's home. 

It didn't seem likely that the younger man would be having guests after leaving work early. 

Jeremy approached, wary of the situation.

He raised his hand to knock but before he could touch the door it swung open to reveal a very unrichard looking man. 

He seemed to be around Richard's age and was about as tall as Jeremy with an average build and a shadowy beard alongside tousled dirty blond hair. 

"Sorry mate, excuse me." The mystery man mumbled as he brushed past Jeremy and went to his car, presumably leaving. 

Jeremy quickly entered in search of the hamster. 

It wasn't that he didn't trust him to be alone or to have whoever he wanted over, but something about the circumstances just seemed odd. 

Jeremy found Richard in the kitchen. His back was turned and he held a cup of tea in his hands. 

Suddenly the cup was across the room shattered against the wall. Richard had yelled as he threw it.

Jeremy cleared his throat, signaling his presence.

Richard whipped around. He had tears in his eyes, hurriedly he wiped at them with the back of his hand. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded. Trying to school his features.

"I came looking for you, I wanted to apologize about today. What I said… I've had a shit week and I took it out on you. Im sorry." He finished awkwardly. 

Richard scoffed humorously. 

"Seems like a bad week for us all then." He turned and started to pick up the larger pieces of glass. 

Jeremy felt like he had walked into something that was very much not his business but he felt obligated to ask. 

"About that," he nodded in the direction of the cup. "Is there anything I can do?"

Richard sighed shakily. It was clear he was still upset.

"Not really no." 

"That man who just left, should I worry about anything?" Jeremy asked. 

He felt obligated to inquire on the off chance his friend had been hurt. Though physically it didn't seem to be the case. 

"No, um… he was," Richard ran a shaky hand through his messy hair. 

"Fuck it." He mumbled, dropping the glass he had picked up. 

The younger man leaned on the countertop and put his head in his arms. 

Jeremy approached Hammond whose shoulders were still slumped and placed a hand on his arm comfortingly.

"I really liked him." Richard looked up to Jeremy. Offering this sentence as a form of explanation. 

Suddenly it all became very clear to the older man what had happened. 

"Did he give you a reason?" He probed hopefully. 

Richard nodded.

"Nothing I didn't already know." The smaller man supplied.

"Was there someone else?" Jeremy asked, hoping he didn't seem like he was prying. He just hated seeing Richard upset.

Richard groaned and stood upright.

"You know you make it really hard Jez…" Richard mumbled.

"Making what hard?" Jeremy questioned irritatedly.

"God, you idiot. It was you! I liked you and he knew it and didn't want to be second best."

The admission hung in the air for a few breaths before it registered in Jeremy's mind. 

"Me? You like me?"

Richard turned red with embarrassment. He couldn't believe what he had said out loud, and to who. 

He turned around and pulled his arms around himself. 

"Just leave now. I can't believe I said that out loud, forget you heard it." Richard stated mortified.

Suddenly he was pulled into a comforting embrace by the larger man. 

"Honestly, although today's been hell… I'm glad you did say what you did or else I couldn't have done this."

Jeremy quickly pulled the smaller man in for a deep and passionate kiss. 

All of his troubles from the day melted away. This, he felt, was where he was meant to be. 

Richard stayed still, holding Jeremy close to him. He tucked his face against the older man's warm chest. 

"Then I'm glad too." He said contentedly before standing on his toes and kissing Jeremy once again. 


End file.
